In other palaces, such actions would gather attention and a commotion would break out. But in here, people proceed to do their own things and heed no care at the surrounding. Even the few who were bullying Xu Huajie lost their interest.
None of Xu Huajie's so-called friends came forward to help him.
Li Wei stared with amusement at the departing shadows.
Xu Huajie struggled but the man was simply stronger than him. Just when his fear peak and he thought he would be beaten half alive, the man throws him in the middle of the main road.
After glaring at him fiercely, the man turned around back to the alley where they came from.
Xu Huajie emotion was stirred to the point of numbness. Blood trickles down from his nose and he weakly slumps down the road.
Trying to catch his breath, he looks towards the sky.
There were only clouds looming about. The sun was nowhere to be found. People walking whispered to each other while looking at him.
He was beyond embarrassed. If he could, he wanted to dig a hole and hide his self. Just as he is wishing to vanish, crisps rolling sounded along the road.
A carriage is running in his direction. He, along with the people walking on the street, thought it'll run over him but then, the carriage stopped a few steps away. Crunching sounds were heard after as someone walked on the snow.
A small and beautiful face blocked his view. "Brother, your nose is bleeding."
"Ah Yao..." Xu Huajie said, almost crying.
Xu Xiaoyao kneeled beside him and wipe his face.
"You didn't come back so Ah Yao search for you," without a change on her stoic expression, Xu Xiaoyao said something supposedly sweet to Xu Huajie.
"Really? Even though it's cold?"
His sister didn't answer. Instead, she asked, "Are you sad brother?"
"...No."
"Did you fight with your friends?"
"...No... But they won't like me anymore after this."
A momentary silence followed. Xu Huajie felt like really crying now. His nose continues to bleed.
After a while, Xu Xiaoyao asked, "Brother, who's the most important person to you?"
"Of course it's you, Ah Yao," he said after thinking a bit. Xu XiaoYao is lazy. Very very much so. But since little, only Xu XiaoYao would walk around the place and look for him.
"Then, brother should only look and listen to Ah Yao," Xu Xiaoyao look directly to his eyes. She was not smiling but her eyes shine brightly like jade. Xu Huajie opened his mouth to question her but Xu XiaoYao reached out her small hands to touch his face.
Xu Huajie flinched a bit. Her skin, despite staying warm most of the time, is as freezing cold as the breeze in winter. "Brother, Ah Yao can only rely on you, so brother, stay with Ah Yao all the time."
"I'm that reliable to you?"
"Truly."
"Am I also your most important person?"
"En."
"Then... it's a promise."
Ah, really. In this world, only his second younger sister can be so precious. With her, the world seems a little bit simpler.
Xu Huajie closed his eyes and remained unmoving in the middle of the road.
Suddenly, snow rain down in large batches directly on his face and buried half of his head.
"The cold will make you feel better," he heard Xu Xiaoyao saying and he blinked. "Do you feel better now?" Xu Xiaoyao asked innocently.
"...Yeah..."
"Brother, your eyes are a bit red."
"Oh..."
"Don't open them, they're scaring me."
"..."
One laying on the ground and the other leisurely squatting, the pair struck like sore thumbs in the middle of the busy street, yet, no one approached them and said that they're blocking the road.
Just seeing their warm clothes and the high-quality fur coats, not adding the decorative carriage parked by their side, it was enough to tell that they are noble-born children. The citizens were smart enough not to mess with the higher ranked people.
"Brother... Hua Da Ge... Eldest Brother..." Xu Xiaoyao tapped his cheek with each call.
"Hmm...?" He responded. The cold floor against his back relaxed his pounding headache. The snow on his forehead and the wind blowing his cheeks cooled down the uncomfortable hotness.
In a low tone and a dangerous accusing voice, Xu XiaoYao said, "You left Ah Yao alone."
"...I'm sorry."
"You said that Ah Yao is your most important but you left Ah Yao for a friend. Brother is lying to Ah Yao?"
"No! Ah Yao is my most precious!" Xu Huajie abruptly rose. With his hand propelling his upper body, he looked a bit desperate to his sister.
Xu Xiaoyao chuckled. With deep-set eyes, she continues to fish the answers she wanted. "More than your friends?"
"...Yeah. More than them," Xu Huajie lowered his head as he answered. There was a nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"Really? It seems like Brother is not sincere enough. Ah Yao felt like you'll leave her," Xu Xiaoyao said, a sad tone was mixed on her words.
A dark aura looms around Xu Huajie, he felt it inching closer as if it will swallow him whole. In a panic, he turned to raise his head again and state, "I wouldn't lie to Ah Yao. Ever!"
Suddenly, Xu Xiaoyao jumped into his embrace, holding him close, as if afraid that he'll run away and leave her alone. "I see. For Ah Yao, brother would disregard his 'friends'. It makes me happy. Brother is really the 'best'. Only brother is so good to Ah Yao."
Feeling the warm, not only in his embrace but also crawling and spreading within his heart, Xu Huajie returned the embrace.
A sudden realization came into him. He was afraid just now, but having his sister--- getting isolated by his peers or disappoint their parents--- it wasn't so scary anymore.
"Brother..." Xu Xiaoyao called out.
"Hmm?"
"It's cold..."
Hearing her stating this again, Xu Huajie finally laugh. "It's winter, of course, it's cold. No need to say it every now and then."
Once they returned inside, Yun'er put a heated cloth over her mistress' foot. The heat spreads and penetrate pass her socks. Xu Xiaoyao exhaled in satisfaction.
Xu Huajie sat next to her. He lifted her feet and put it in his lap. After removing her sandals, he helps rub the cloth to warm her further. "You sound like an old man," he commented.
.
.
.
.
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The eastern street was called the red market. In here, vendors are as many as the private stores, even to the point of taking the road. Many trinkets and interesting things were put on sale. If you have ample connections, you might be able to enter 'unusual' shops.
The Xu carriage stop at one of the shops in this street.
The front shop is a simple receiving area. The shop attendants would approach you and start a few idle talks. People would be asked to take a sit and a sip on their tea while the attendant go back to what seems to be a counter to confirm your identity.
After verifying your association with their establishment, another attendant shall escort you to the back of the shop. There, an elevated flatform stood eyecatchingly in the middle of the courtyard.
Xu Huajie passed a wooden card, slipped a few silver taels to the attendant, and not before long, they were escorted.
Xu Xiaoyao observed the area. Her eyes darted from the entrance, to what seems to be the exit, and then at any form of pathways, before finally resting her gaze at the people around.
At the center stage, two dogs stood opposite to each other, barking so loudly, she felt annoyed. They circled each other, trying to find any opening. One of them, who seem to be bigger than the other, slip on the excess snow on the ground. And before anyone could blink, the other took this chance and jumped, directly biting onto the neck of the bigger one.
The people around cheers happily. Some were shouting curses while the rest raise from their sits; overly excited.
Xu Huajie and Xu Xiaoyao were taken to another room. There are rows upon rows of cages. Each individual cage held a fierce dog as its prisoner.
Barking loudly if you get just a bit close, showing you their fangs with their saliva dripping down, and their eyes bulging so much anger.
Xu Huajie flinched when a dog slams into its head to the cage in an attempt to attack him.
After closing the door, the attendant stood at the corner and respectfully lowered her gaze to the ground.
"You said you're curious so I brought you here. But you don't seem excited," Xu Huajie said. He followed Xu Xiaoyao closely while trying to stir away far from the cages.
"So if we want to participate, we could only pick one in here?" Xu Xiaoyao ignore his commentary and pointed at the dogs.
"Eh?! Ah Yao wants to join?!" Xu Huajie was taken aback.
"I cannot?"
"Eeerr... If you really want... But this is gambling."
"Gambling?"
Seeing that his sister didn't fully understand, Xu Huajie immediately sugar coat it. "Gambling is--- I mean it's a competition! As long as we buy a dog, we'll be able to participate. No need to bet. Betting and gambling are bad, Ah Yao. Don't do those things."
"Alright. Ah Yao understands and believe brother."
"Good," Xu Huajie patted Xu Xiaoyao's head.
"Then Ah Yao will join the competition."
Xu Huajie, "..."
He almost slips down with his sister immediate respond!
He should have explained it in a way that shall discourage his sister. If he was not careful, his sister will end up corrupted in such an early age.
Xu Xiaoyao didn't give her brother a chance to talk her out of it as she squatted in front of one of the cages. She crunched down to match the dog height.
Seeing an unfamiliar face brave enough to come close, the dog kept growling but it didn't bark. Compared to the others, it is relatively smaller and not as lively. It didn't struggle and try to break out, unlike his companions.
Xu Xiaoyao held a hand forward. Her hand is only a few inches away from the space between the steel bars. The dog ears perk up, he starts showing his teeth with repressed anger.
Next, Xu Xiaoyao moved her outreach hand to the side. The dog's gaze followed it. She then moved it again to the other side. It's gaze followed once again.
After doing it a few times, she saw it sending her glares in between keeping up with her. Xu Xiaoyao curled up in a mocking smile.
"Brother, I like this one," Xu Xiaoyao tag on her brother's sleeves.
Seeing how pitifully small and malnourished the dog that his sister wants, Xu Huajie felt like he needed to teach his young sister on using her eyes. However, when he thought that it was just for fun, he decided to let her learn from experience.
After Xu Huajie paid for the dog, they were then lead back to the courtyard. The pair sit along with the audience while they wait for their turn.
Xu Xiaoyao yawned from time to time while Xu Huajie was sent to an edge at the brutal display of the fighting dogs.
He did come here a few times but not with his sister!
Turning, he saw her starting to doze off. He kind of wanted to shout in shock. It's so loud in here yet she could block off the noise and sleep.
But then, glancing back at the bloody scene with two dog bitting each other's limbs off, Xu Huajie said, "Sleep, sleep. I'll wake you up when it's our turn."
Xu Huajie grabbed the hems of his fur cape and draped it over Xu Xiaoyao's head. He held her shoulder and let her lean to his side.